How do you keep your AV hardware clean

[corElement]

Just wonderring since so many of guys have av hardware and families at home along with proverbial maids etc, I normally dont let anyone touch my hardware and clean them myself with 2 cloths, one slightly moist and one dry. Thats how ive kept all my stuff clean and avoided other people from damaging it over the years. My father is a cig addict so I constantly have to clean every alternate day because I cant stand ash.

What about you guys?

 

[spirovious]

I do the same, I dont allow others to clean.I wipe mostly with soft cotton/cloth.
No water as much as possible.
Blower of vacuum cleaner can be used for cleaning dust in circuits.

 

[shaizada]

Just wonderring since so many of guys have av hardware and families at home along with proverbial maids etc, I normally dont let anyone touch my hardware and clean them myself with 2 cloths, one slightly moist and one dry. Thats how ive kept all my stuff clean and avoided other people from damaging it over the years. My father is a cig addict so I constantly have to clean every alternate day because I cant stand ash.

What about you guys?

Man, I can't stand smoke!

I use compressed cans of air, micro fiber cloths for no scratches, a duster for the hard to reach places and tons of TLC

 

[malvai]

I employ a No Maids, No Wife and No one else but me policy when it comes to my gear. Use Microfiber cloth. No water - ever! Keep the stuff covered with cloth when not in use (despite the wife not liking the way it looks!)

 

[Asit]

Hi,

I do not really clean them that often. But many of you know that I have some very old stuff still operating like new. I cover all equipments by soft pieces of cloth when they are cold. I occasionally clean them with a dry and soft piece of cloth (microfibre is also used). I clean the hard-to-reach places by a soft brush. But again, there is no need to clean them too often just to make them look cosmetically good and shining. More importantly, if you use all your equipments quite regularly and carefully, they will be in good shape for many years to come.

Regards.

 

[ranojoy]

I employ a No Maids, No Wife and No one else but me policy when it comes to my gear.

nearly same policy for me. apart from me, only my 11 yr old son is allowed to touch the gear. he's learnt how to use the stuff and is usually quite careful.

Use Microfiber cloth. No water - ever!

same here. light dusting from time to time is generally all it takes.

it also helps if the room itself is kept relatively dust free. i try to keep the doors and windows of the room closed as far as possible.

 

[deba]

Long time back I remember using STP Son of a Gun Silicon Spray and keep my equipment free from dust. It works well and gives a little shine and it never damaged the finish of my equipments.

I am not getting it anymore in India, Can anyone tell me where in India will I get it ?
Thanks.

LINK:
http://www.stp.com/appearance.php

 

[corElement]

son of a gun.. lol

ROFL

 

[corElement]

I know what you mean, it's disgusting as hell, pathetic. Makes me so mad that I have smokers in the house, wish cigs were banned.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I'm a slob... but when I do clean stuff, it is vacuum cleaner and dry microfibre cloth.

Here, by the way, no tobacco smoke (I'm a born-again ex, and won't have it in the house) but a cat and a very dusty area. I don't notice it on the hifi stuff, but the PC, at ground level, and with fans drawing in air, gets unbelievably clogged. I take the vacuum cleaner to it, but, probably, not as often as I should.

Purists don't suck, they blow* --- I don't bother, I suck. I have never known any damage, and I have vacuumed a good few PCs and audio components.



*idea for a car sticker?

 

[shaizada]

...

Purists don't suck, they blow* --- I don't bother, I suck. I have never known any damage, and I have vacuumed a good few PCs and audio components.

*idea for a car sticker?

There is NO WAY IN HELL I would put that as a sticker on my car. That will give people all the wrong ideas and then some!

 

[venkatcr]

One of the reasons I deploy a rack with free access at the back. Once a while, I just disconnect all items, remove them, clean them and reconnect. I also use that opportunity to clean the floor and walls where dust and dirt would invariably have accumulated. Maids are a complete no, no.

There are a couple of items that may be of interest to members.

1. 3M India makes something called Scratch Proof Wipe. This is a small piece of micro-fibre made of polyster and polyamide. Good for 100 washes and pick up dirt very well. This is to be used dry.

2. All paints shops will have something called Gada cloth. This is a cotton cloth that comes with large weaves. This could be used inside racks that hold the equipment. You can use a small amount of cleaning spray. If you racks are made of wood, the best is to use wood polish.

3. Waxpol makes something called 'Silicon Liquid Polish'. This will be available from shops that sell parts for automobiles. I started using this for cleaning water taps, but later found a better liquid for that purpose.

Very tiny amounts of this can be used on top of players and amplifiers for a good clean. This should be poured on the body under any circumstance. Rather wet the cleaning cloth with a few drops of the polish, and carefully wipe the body. Make sure you go nowhere near vents in the body.

4. In Chennai at least, all electronics repair shops use something called MaxClean. This is a white liquid and is quite good at removing stains on top of bodies. The thing stinks a lot, and I don't have much belief in the product. The Waxpol polish is more dependable.

5. You can use IsoPropyl Alcohol (of the best kind) in, again, small quantities to clean contacts. Just ensure that you use a branded variety. The best I have come across is made by Qualigens Fine Chemicals and the product has a trade name that is Porpan 2-OL. There has been a lengthy discussion on this before and please search the forum for details.

Inside the amplifier, TV and other items, the boards will actually have a fine dust settled. I heard one TV repair man say that the dust is good as it protects the circuitry. Not sure how true this is.

Cheers

 

[sqvare]

Inside the amplifier, TV and other items, the boards will actually have a fine dust settled. I heard one TV repair man say that the dust is good as it protects the circuitry. Not sure how true this is.

Especially during the monsoons when the humidity is close to 100% and that fine carpet of dry dust turns into an efficient conductive blanket :lol:

Many years ago, I had a dusty old TV whose CRT (inside the cabinet) started to buzz, crackle and spit during very humid spells, monsoon-time. The TV tech wiped the surface free of carbon(?) deposits and dust, told me to leave it on standby instead of switching it off to prevent condensation, and then inexplicably dusted the surface he'd just cleaned with talcum powder! I didn't understand it either...